Skip to main content

Tokyo International Women`s Marathon to be Replaced Next Year With New Race in Yokohama

http://mainichi.jp/enta/sports/general/track/news/20080802k0000m050054000c.html
translated by Brett Larner

On Aug. 1st, Rikuren announced that the Tokyo International Women`s Marathon, scheduled to end after this year`s 30th anniversary running on Nov. 16th, will be replaced with a new international women`s marathon in Yokohama. The first edition of the new race is scheduled to take place in Nov. 2009. The race is expected to feature elite foreign and domestic runners to continue in the tradition of the Tokyo International Women`s Marathon.

The course and name of the new race have yet to be decided, but Rikuren intends for the successor race to be a selection event for major international competitions such as the Olympics and World Championships. As part of this move toward a new marathon, the Yokohama International Women`s Ekiden will be disbanded after its 27th running in Feb. 2009.

The Tokyo International Women`s Marathon was the world`s first women-only marathon when it was founded in 1979. It is scheduled to end this year after the Tokyo police department refused to continue issuing the necessary road closure permits. The race`s sponsors, such as the Asahi Newspaper Group, continued to express interest in sponsoring a women`s marathon after the announcement, leading organizers to seek a new venue.

Asked about the future of such events in the era of big city marathons in Japan launched by the Tokyo Marathon, Rikuren executive member Keisuke Sawaki commented, "There are elite marathons for men or women only and big city marathons for the masses. We want to maintain both traditions."
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Most-Read This Week

Federation Tells World Championships Marathoner Horibata To Go On Diet

http://hochi.yomiuri.co.jp/sports/etc/news/20110307-OHT1T00258.htm translated by Brett Larner Having made the 2011 World Championships marathon team by running a PB of 2:09:25 to come in 3rd overall and as the top Japanese finisher at the Mar. 6 Lake Biwa Mainichi Marathon, Hiroyuki Horibata (24, Team Asahi Kasei), talked to the media at Osaka Airport on Mar. 7. Following Sunday's race Rikuren director Keisuke Sawaki , 67, told Horibata, "Let's cut things down a bit until the World Championships," directing him to go on a diet. The 189 cm Horibata weighs 72 kg [~6'3", 160 lbs]. When he joined Team Asahi Kasei in 2005 at age 18 he weighed 65 kg, and this weight is still generally listed on his profile at races and in the media. "For some reason it never changes," he said with a grin. His coach Takeshi Soh , 58, commented, "If he was hungrier for glory his world would change completely," slapping the 'heavyweight division runner...
Post a Comment
Read more

Nagoya Asian Games Test Event Canceled After Insulation Falls From Venue Ceiling

A section of insulation material fell from the ceiling of Nagoya Kinjo Futo Arena, the official venue for squash competition at September's Nagoya Asian Games. There were no injuries, but the city suspended use of the arena until its safety could be guaranteed, resulting in the cancelation of the Asian Games squash test event which was scheduled to have begun on May 14. It is not yet clear whether the arena will be usable for the Asian Games as planned. According to city officials, arena staff found that the insulation material had fallen onto a work walkway 13 m above the ground on the night of May 11. The fallen material was 3.6 m long, 50 cm wide and 2.5 km thick, and was found to be waterlogged. The cause of the accident is unknown, but it is possible that it was caused by rainwater leaking in from the roof. The same insulation material is installed across the entire ceiling, and the city plans to check for the extent of the possible flooding. Asked whether the arena will be re...
Post a Comment
Read more

Everything You Need to Know About the 2026 Hakone Ekiden

The Hakone Ekiden is the world's biggest road race, 2 days of road relay action with Japan's 20 best university teams racing 10 half marathon-scale legs from central Tokyo to the mountains east of Mount Fuji and back. The level just keeps going higher and higher , hitting the point this year where there are teams with 10-runner averages of 13:33.10 for 5000 m, 27:55.98 for 10000 m, and 1:01:20 for the half marathon. It's never been better, and with great weather in the forecast it's safe to say this could be one of the best races in Hakone's 102-year history, especially on Day One. If you've seen it then you know NTV's live broadcast is the best sports broadcast in the world, with the pre-race show kicking off at 7:00 a.m. Japan time on the 2nd and 3rd and the race starting at 8:00 a.m. sharp. If you've got a VPN you should be able to watch it on TVer starting at 7:50 a.m. on the 2nd , and again at 7:50 a.m. on the 3rd . There's even a 2-hour high...
3 comments
Read more